Wales came from behind to begin their Six Nations campaign with an ultimately comfortable away win as they ended up tantalisingly close to a bonus point in Rome’s Olympic Stadium.

There were ominous signs as they trailed 7-3 at the break to a Sergio Parisse-inspired Italy, having failed to make the most of their dominance in the opening quarter.

But they took complete control in the second half and this time backed it up with points as they claimed tries through Jonathan Davies, Liam Williams and George North, who struck from distance for the score of the game.

Then, right at the death, it looked as though they were going to secure the four-try bonus, but Liam Williams just lost control of the ball as he tried to get it down in the corner.

Wales can take heart from the character, urgency and intensity they showed in the second half, plus the way they clinically capitalised on the sin-binning of prop Andrea Lovotti.

Leigh Halfpenny kicks another penalty for Wales

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There were important contributions off the bench, with Rob Evans and Tomas Francis shoring up the scrum, while Sam Davies delivered classy distribution and vision at fly-half after taking over from the injured Dan Biggar.

Centres Scott Williams and Jonathan Davies had increasingly influential games, with Sam Warburton showing up well as a carrier and in defence, while his successor as skipper, Alun Wyn Jones, was a commanding presence.

There is still plenty to work on in a short space of time ahead of next Saturday’s meeting with England at the Principality Stadium, but at least the work can be done on the back of a solid win.

With heavy rain during the warm-up having made for slippy conditions, it was all about control, looking after the ball and applying pressure as the game got underway.

And it was Wales who ticked those boxes in the opening quarter, securing 80 possession and dominating territory.

Jonathan Davies celebrates his try

They made steady inroads with their pick-and-go game, the forwards taking it in turns to make the hard yards through the likes of Nicky Smith, Sam Warburton, Ken Owens and Jake Ball.

Then when it went out to the backs, Dan Biggar looked to negate the Italian line speed with a series of well-placed cross-kicks and chips that ratcheted up the pressure.

So all well and good, except for one thing - it didn’t produce any points.

Wales had an early opportunity to open the scoring through the boot of Leigh Halfpenny but his attempt drifted wide of the posts.

Still they kept coming though and they looked well placed to go ahead around the 15 minute mark when they set up a series of lineout mauls off penalties five metres out.

The mauls were well defended but a succession of forward carries took them ever closer to the whitewash only for the chance to go begging as they went to the backs.

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Biggar’s disrupted pass failed to go to hands and although Jonathan Davies managed to shin the ball over the line, prop Andrea Lovotti dived in to dab the ball down first and save the day.

So no points from all that pressure and it didn’t take for the Azzurri to rub salt in the wounds.

The problems began on 25 minutes when Wales were shoved off the ball on their own put it, with Parisse then involved twice, with the No 8 just held up short.

Italy maintained the pressure and crucially they did what their opponents had failed to do by converting it into points.

Parisse was again the key catalyst, with a lovely inside ball to flanker Abraham Steyn from a five metre scrum.

The Italians then set up a mini maul in midfield and Edoardo Gori was the man to get the ball down as he was driven over by Lovotti, with Canna converting.

Liam Williams is held up (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Wales finally opened their account on 35 minutes via the boot of Halfpenny, but finished the half very much on the back foot and were thankful to Warburton for a superb piece of jackling to avoid going further behind.

There was a change at the break for the visitors, with Davies taking over at fly-half from Biggar who had taken two heavy blows to the ribs.

As Wales came out for the second half trailing 7-3, the heat was on.

But, just as in the opening quarter, they were to take a grip on proceedings in terms of territory and possession and this time they crucially turned the dominance into points.

First they chipped away and went ahead through Halfpenny, who landed three kicks as the hosts were penalised for not rolling away, a tip tackle and stepping offside.

Wales were also now looking much more solid at the scrum, with replacement props Evans and Francis having entered the fray and that area was to prove crucial.

It looked as though the visitors had claimed their first try on 57 minutes when Rhys Webb was at the start and the finish of his team’s best attack to date.

After his initial break, support was provided by Sam Davies, Justin Tipuric and Alun Wyn Jones, with Webb then dummying for the line, only for TMO Rowan Kitt to rule he had got the ball down just short.

But Wales were not to be denied for long. From the resulting five metre scrum, they were awarded with successive penalties, the second of which saw loosehead Lozzoti yellow carded on the hour for going on to his knee.

The visitors immediately capitalised on their extra man.

After Liam Williams was held up down the blindside from another scrum, the ball was moved back right with skipper Alun Wyn Jones sending the ball out of the back.

Then it was down to lovely hands from Sam Davies to Scott Williams, who didn’t panic, as he stepped inside two men and gave the scoring pass to co-centre Jonathan Davies.

Williams was the key creator again for the second try. As the ball was moved from a ruck 10 metres out, he just delayed his pass, holding his man and feeding Jonathan Davies who put Liam Williams over.

Then two minutes from time came the try of the game, with North crossing for his fifth consecutive Six Nations match.

Showing refreshing ambition, Sam Davies countered from deep and then it was over to the wing man.

Despite struggling with a dead leg, North delivered the searing finish from some 65 metres out, cutting inside to go under the posts.

It looked as though the game was going to end in perfect fashion for Wales as Williams ripped the ball away and squirmed for the line.

He just couldn’t quite get it down and one has to hope that missed bonus point doesn’t prove critical in the final analysis,

But Wales are underway in this Championship with the banana skin having been avoided.